As you go about your workout program, one aspect you will want to keep in mind is how your recovery is progressing along. Recovery is something that is a constant effort and must always be monitored for the best results. If you are not recovering, you will pay the price. You will not see…

the strength progression you are after,

you will not be feeling your best, and

you may even come to hate the process of working out altogether.

The good news is recovery is something you can work at improving. When you understand a few fundamental concepts, the process becomes much more comfortable.

Let us look at three “secrets” all elite athletes know about recovery and what this means to you…

1. Recovery Is Not Constant. The first point you need to keep in mind is recovery will never be constant. For example, if what you are doing for one month is working, that does not guarantee it will do the same the next month and give you similar results. The reason may be during the following month; you may have a whole new circumstance you are working with.

For example, you may have been given a job promotion, which is excellent; however, this may also mean you are now more psychologically stressed. Unfortunately, this does add to your overall level of stress and can mean recovery does not progress along as well. You either need to do more for your restoration or find a healthier way to deal with your psychological stress.

2. Recovery Requires Fuel. Another point you need to consider is recovery requires fuel. If you are not eating enough food, you are not going to recover optimally. This is a given yet is something so many people overlook entirely.

Recovery demands you provide carbohydrates, fats, and protein in your diet. If you are at any extremes, you are not going to be recovering as well as you could be.

3. Recovery Takes Dedication. Finally, recovery takes dedication. It might mean saying no to a night out with friends when asked because you need to stay home and sleep. It might mean not shooting hoops with your friends because you did a hard leg workout the day prior and did not have it in you. It might mean devoting time to foam rolling each week when you would instead do something else.

All of this is required for you to see optimal results, so do not discount that. The harder you work, the better the progress you make in the gym. So it all comes down to priorities. What is most important to you?